diff --git a/src/constants.js b/src/constants.js
index 23cd8311..6dcb5080 100644
--- a/src/constants.js
+++ b/src/constants.js
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ var TIME = {
 };
 
 var GRAPHICS = {
-  nodeRadius: 15
+  nodeRadius: 15,
+  curveControlPointOffset: 50,
+  defaultEasing: 'easeInOut',
+  defaultAnimationTime: 300
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/git.js b/src/git.js
index 44bf883c..a1c4da10 100644
--- a/src/git.js
+++ b/src/git.js
@@ -707,6 +707,11 @@ GitEngine.prototype.dispatch = function(command, callback) {
     }
   }
 
+  this.animationQueue.add(new Animation({
+    closure: function() {
+      gitVisuals.refreshTree();
+    }
+  }));
   // TODO (get rid of)
   for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
     this.animationQueue.add(new Animation({closure: function() { console.log(Math.random()); }}));
diff --git a/src/tree.js b/src/tree.js
index 4e7d9635..6227fd3e 100644
--- a/src/tree.js
+++ b/src/tree.js
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     depth: undefined,
     id: null,
     pos: null,
+    radius: null,
     commit: null,
-    animationSpeed: 300,
-    animationEasing: 'easeInOut'
+    animationSpeed: GRAPHICS.defaultAnimationTime,
+    animationEasing: GRAPHICS.defaultEasing
   },
 
   validateAtInit: function() {
@@ -28,10 +29,6 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     this.validateAtInit();
   },
 
-  calcPositionInTree: function() {
-
-  },
-
   setDepthBasedOn: function(depthIncrement) {
     if (this.get('depth') === undefined) {
       throw new Error('no depth yet!');
@@ -40,14 +37,14 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     pos.y = this.get('depth') * depthIncrement;
   },
 
-  animateUpdatedPosition: function() {
+  animateUpdatedPosition: function(speed, easing) {
     var pos = this.getScreenCoords();
     this.get('circle').animate({
         cx: pos.x,
         cy: pos.y
       },
-      this.get('animationSpeed'),
-      this.get('animationEasing')
+      speed || this.get('animationSpeed'),
+      easing || this.get('animationEasing')
     );
   },
 
@@ -56,11 +53,14 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
     return gitVisuals.toScreenCoords(pos);
   },
 
+  getRadius: function() {
+    return this.get('radius') || GRAPHICS.nodeRadius;
+  },
+
   genGraphics: function(paper) {
     var pos = this.getScreenCoords();
-    //var circle = paper.circle(pos.x, pos.y, GRAPHICS.nodeRadius);
     var circle = cuteSmallCircle(paper, pos.x, pos.y, {
-      radius: GRAPHICS.nodeRadius
+      radius: this.getRadius()
     });
     this.set('circle', circle);
   }
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ var VisNode = Backbone.Model.extend({
 var VisEdge = Backbone.Model.extend({
   defaults: {
     tail: null,
-    head: null
+    head: null,
+    animationSpeed: GRAPHICS.defaultAnimationTime,
+    animationEasing: GRAPHICS.defaultEasing
   },
 
   validateAtInit: function() {
@@ -85,12 +87,59 @@ var VisEdge = Backbone.Model.extend({
     this.validateAtInit();
   },
 
+  genSmoothBezierPathString: function(tail, head) {
+    var tailPos = tail.getScreenCoords();
+    var headPos = head.getScreenCoords();
+
+    // first offset tail and head by radii
+
+    // we need to generate the path and control points for the bezier. format
+    // is M(move abs) C (curve to) (control point 1) (control point 2) (final point)
+    // the control points have to be __below__ to get the curve starting off straight.
+
+    var coords = function(pos) {
+      return String(Math.round(pos.x)) + ',' + String(Math.round(pos.y));
+    };
+    var offset = function(pos, dir, offset) {
+      offset = offset || GRAPHICS.curveControlPointOffset;
+      return {
+        x: pos.x,
+        y: pos.y + GRAPHICS.curveControlPointOffset * dir
+      };
+    };
+
+    var str = '';
+    // first move to bottom of tail
+    str += 'M' + coords(tailPos) + ' ';
+    // start bezier
+    str += 'C';
+    // then control points above tail and below head
+    str += coords(offset(tailPos, -1)) + ' ';
+    str += coords(offset(headPos, 1)) + ' ';
+    // now finish
+    str += coords(headPos);
+    return str;
+  },
+
+  getBezierCurve: function() {
+    return this.genSmoothBezierPathString(this.get('tail'), this.get('head'));
+  },
+
   genGraphics: function(paper) {
-    var tailPos = this.get('tail').getScreenCoords();
-    var headPos = this.get('head').getScreenCoords();
-    var pathString = constructPathStringFromCoords([tailPos, headPos]);
-    // var path = cutePath(paper, pathString);
-    // this.set('path', path);
+    var pathString = this.getBezierCurve();
+    var path = cutePath(paper, pathString);
+    this.set('path', path);
+  },
+
+  animateUpdatedPath: function(speed, easing) {
+    var newPath = this.getBezierCurve();
+    this.get('path').toBack();
+    this.get('path').animate({
+        path: newPath
+      },
+      speed || this.get('animationSpeed'),
+      easing || this.get('animationEasing')
+    );
   },
 
 });
diff --git a/src/visuals.js b/src/visuals.js
index 192aab21..3c56bbe4 100644
--- a/src/visuals.js
+++ b/src/visuals.js
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.toScreenCoords = function(pos) {
 GitVisuals.prototype.refreshTree = function() {
   this.calculateTreeCoords();
   this.animateNodePositions();
+  this.animateEdges();
 };
 
 GitVisuals.prototype.calculateTreeCoords = function() {
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.assignBoundsRecursive = function(commit, min, max) {
   // I always center myself within my bounds
   var myWidthPos = (min + max) / 2.0;
   commit.get('visNode').get('pos').x = myWidthPos;
+  // TODO get rid of
+  // commit.get('visNode').get('pos').x = Math.random();
 
   if (commit.get('children').length == 0) {
     return;
@@ -137,6 +140,23 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.calcDepth = function() {
   }, this);
 };
 
+/***************************************
+     == END Tree Calculation ==
+       _  __    __  _
+       \\/ /    \ \//_
+        \ \     /   __|   __
+         \ \___/   /_____/ /
+          |        _______ \
+          \  ( )   /      \_\
+           \      /
+            |    |
+            |    |
+  ____+-_=+-^    ^+-=_=__________
+
+^^ I drew that :D
+
+ **************************************/
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.animateNodePositions = function() {
   _.each(this.visNodeMap, function(visNode) {
     console.log(visNode);
@@ -144,6 +164,12 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.animateNodePositions = function() {
   }, this);
 };
 
+GitVisuals.prototype.animateEdges = function() {
+  this.edgeCollection.each(function(edge) {
+    edge.animateUpdatedPath();
+  }, this);
+};
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.getDepthIncrement = function(maxDepth) {
   // assume there are at least 7 layers until later
   maxDepth = Math.max(maxDepth, 7);